J&K rain fury: Death toll rises to 41 as record rainfall cripples Jammu, Jhelum River in spate

A vehicle stuck in the debris following the rise in water level of the Tawi river due to heavy rainfall in Jammu. (Image: PTI)

At least 41 people, most of them Vaishno Devi pilgrims, died in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi and Doda districts between Tuesday and Wednesday as heavy rainfall in Jammu province left a trail of death and devastation.

34 people died near Adhkunwari en route to the Vaishno Devi shrine on Tuesday afternoon in a landslide following a cloudburst in the area, while four died in the hilly Doda district due to rain and flash floods.

Rescue teams are continuing to dig through mounds of rubble to look for survivors, as the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi shrine remained suspended for a second day. The landslide struck near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Ardhkuwari, about halfway along the 12-km trek from Katra to the shrine.

J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who visited a hospital in Katra to enquire about the health of 13 injured pilgrims there, said, “A cloudburst occurred and devotees at Ardhkuwari were caught in it. It was a heart-wrenching natural calamity in which we lost precious lives. We are providing all possible assistance to their families.”

Pointing out that the yatra was suspended on Tuesday due to the weather, he announced ex gratia relief of Rs 9 lakh to the families of the deceased, according to a report by the Indian Express.

The Jammu region has been witnessing its heaviest rainfall in decades since Monday night, leading to floods, landslides, damaged bridges and roads, and inundated residential and agricultural areas, forcing many people to move to safer places. Jammu city recorded more than 380 mm of rainfall in less than 38 hours.

Record rainfall cripples J&K

Meanwhile, record rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered landslides and flash floods, causing massive damage to infrastructure as bridges and mobile towers collapsed, and electricity poles snapped. Dozens of key roads were blocked or damaged by landslides.

Northern Railways cancelled 58 trains to and from Jammu and Katra stations, while 64 others were either short-terminated or short-originated at different stations within the division. Six trains had begun departing from Jammu after a day-long suspension, but traffic was halted again due to flash floods and heavy soil erosion in the Chakki river area, according to officials, according to a report by News18.

The Jammu region has been witnessing its heaviest rainfall in decades since Monday night, leading to floods, landslides, damaged bridges and roads, and inundated residential and agricultural areas, forcing many people to move to safer places. Jammu city recorded more than 380 mm of rainfall in less than 38 hours.

Meanwhile, in Srinagar, the Jhelum river was filled to the brim, with the water level close to the danger mark. Devastated by the massive floods in 2014, the city is on high alert.